Contender Series Week 1 live results & highlights

As a die-hard MMA fan with years of experience under my belt, I must say that Dana White’s Contender Series is always a thrilling event to look forward to. The return of this series for its eighth season promises some exciting bouts, and I can hardly wait!

The Dana White’s Contender Series, following a successful seventh season with 46 contract awards, is back for its eight season. The middleweight fighters Mansur Abdul-Malik and Wes Schultz will take center stage in the opening event.

1. Abdul-Malik boasts an unbeaten record of 5-0 and has never advanced beyond the first round in any fight during both his amateur and professional career, with his most recent bout taking place at LFA 176. Schultz, a seasoned fighter under the LFA banner, currently holds a 5-1 record within the promotion, with four of those victories coming via finish, most recently competing at LFA 181. His only professional loss was against Dylan Budka, the winner of Season 7. Schultz is an accomplished NCAA Division I wrestler who has incorporated his unique fighting style into MMA and trains alongside former UFC fighter Zak Ottow. Abdul-Malik’s combative style, considered unrefined compared to Schultz’s more traditional approach, promises a captivating main event for DWCS’s kickoff.

In the supporting main event, experienced welterweight fighter Ding Meng and Rami Hamed will face off. Meng, who started his professional career in 2015, has competed in 42 bouts so far and had a brief stint with ONE Championship. He was previously the welterweight champion at JCK (Jeu Cheng King) in China. In contrast, Hamed is an experienced fighter from Titan FC who currently boasts a four-fight winning streak, but he hasn’t stepped into the ring for almost two years.

In this contest of regional titans, the light heavyweights will be in the spotlight. Mikheil Sazhiniani from Georgia boasts a six-match winning streak, with five of those victories resulting in finishes. He earned this impressive track record after becoming the light heavyweight champion for the Georgian Fighting Championship (GFC). Now, he’s set to make his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).

In their upcoming fight, Jose Delgado and Ernie Juarez will bring impressive winning runs with them. Delgado has won his last four fights by finish, his latest bout being at LFA 188. Interestingly, Delgado is replacing Icaro Brito as Juarez’s original opponent due to short notice. Juarez boasts an unblemished record of 8-0 and holds the featherweight title for Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat promotion.

As a gamer, I’m hyped to let you know that the upcoming card will showcase two top-notch flyweight hopefuls, Lone’er Kavanagh and An Tuan Ho. Kavanagh, with his flawless 6-0 record, is making a splash here from Cage Warriors. On the other hand, Ho, equally undefeated at 6-0, has been a staple in the LFA scene, recently battling it out at LFA 176. Interestingly, Ho was on the brink of challenging for the LFA flyweight title, but chose to take a spot on DWCS instead. It’s worth noting that Ho is a part of the MMA Lab, home to former DWCS winner and current UFC bantamweight champ “Suga” Sean O’Malley. So, buckle up, folks! This promises to be an exciting matchup!

DWCS Week 1 live results & highlights

Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Wes Schultz

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

Ding Meng vs. Rami Hamed

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

Mikheil Sazhiniani vs. Bruno Lopes

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

Icaro Brito vs. Ernie Juarez

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

Lone’er Kavanagh vs. An Tuan Ho

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

Contracts awarded to: TBD.

2024-08-14 01:13